Oscar Ratings Up

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In a bid to amp up Oscar excitement after last year's historically low ratings, producers stayed mum about the evening's performers and presenters, and reportedly asked stars to skip the pre-show and flaunt their frocks exclusively onstage (though red-carpet couture nevertheless prevailed). In any case, the organizers' attempts to boost ratings, which also included recruiting new host Hugh Jackman to resuscitate the ceremony, succeeded—somewhat. Viewers were up by 13 percent over 2008, but the show was still among the least-watched Academy Awards ever. What do you watch the Oscars more for: the fashion or the actual ceremony?